Seafood Bisque
A seafood bisque is a rich, creamy soup traditionally made with shellfish such as shrimp, crab, or lobster. Here’s an easy version you can make at home.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1 small carrot, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups seafood or chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup diced tomatoes or 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 250 g shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 150 g crab meat or other cooked seafood
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Fresh parsley, for serving
Method
- Sauté the vegetables: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook for about 5–7 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Make the base: Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the stock to prevent lumps.
- Add flavor: Stir in the tomatoes or tomato paste, paprika, and thyme. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
- Blend: For a smooth bisque, use an immersion blender until the soup is creamy. You can leave some vegetables unblended if you prefer texture.
- Add cream and seafood: Stir in the cream and shrimp. Simmer gently for 3–5 minutes, just until the shrimp are cooked through. Add crab meat during the final 1–2 minutes.
- Finish: Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Don’t boil aggressively after adding the cream and seafood.
- Serve: Garnish with parsley and serve hot with crusty bread.
Tip: For a more luxurious bisque, you can add a small amount of lobster meat or use homemade shellfish stock.
